A 40-year-old man said he is “ashamed” about his behaviour after he got so drunk that he threatened a shop worker with a wine bottle, a court heard.

Jamie Selvey also shouted and swore at staff inside the Spar store in Broad Street, Newtown on the evening of Friday, April 22, after drinking four to five bottles of wine that day.

The Montgomery man was ordered to pay a £40 fine and £60 compensation to the shop manager who was “shaken up” by the abuse after pleading guilty to using threatening behaviour in court on Tuesday.

Magistrates praised Selvey for apologising to store staff for his behaviour and for addressing his alcohol issues since the incident, but urged him to make the most of his chance to change his habits.

Helen Tench, prosecutor, told Welshpool Magistrates’ Court that Shelvey could not remember threatening anyone at the store which was caught on the shop’s CCTV footage.

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“The victim was the shop manager at the Spar store in Broad Street, Newtown.

"During the evening of April 22, Geraint Ward heard an emergency bell ring. A male was shouting, swearing and making threats ‘I’m going to bottle you and smack you one’.

"The defendant picked up a wine bottle and raised it to shoulder height in an aggressive manner. Mr Ward was at the till area when he saw the defendant making threats and asked him to leave but he didn’t.

"Mr Ward said he was the manager, but the defendant laughed ‘what are you going to do about it?’. The defendant still didn’t leave. Two members of the public removed him from the store. The manager said he was shook up as was his colleague who had to be dropped off home afterwards.”

Owain Jones, acting for Selvey, told magistrates that it was an “impulsive act” that he has full remorse and has apologised in person to staff.

“The purpose of his visit to Spar was to buy more alcohol," he said. "He was already holding a bottle of wine and waiting to pay the cashier. It was an impulsive act, and he regrets his actions.

“The plan is to address the triggering behaviour which is alcohol.”

A pre-sentence report found that Selvey, who was noted never to have been aggressive or anti-social to probation staff, was “ashamed of his behaviour when intoxicated” and has not excessively drank wine since the incident.

Dr Rachel Jones, chair of the magistrates’ bench, told Selvey, of Tan y Mur, Montgomery, “I’m glad that you went back to Spar to apologise, that was good. And the routine of going to the Post Office that’s also good."

Dr Jones added “please make the most of your opportunity with your probation officer” to which Shelvey replied “she’s amazing”.

He was ordered to pay a £40 fine, £34 victim surcharge and £60 compensation to Geraint Ward.